Homegrown Hero - Khurrum Rahman Jay Qasim

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altogether different to what I had told her. I didn’t have the time or the heart to tell her it could never happen. That was a different conversation for a different day. She put her hand on mine‚ wobbled her head again and finally left.

      *

      Jack probably didn’t know that his mum was at her bedroom window waiting for me. Stephanie probably didn’t know that her son was at his bedroom window‚ waiting for me.

      I killed the engine as I parked in the driveway. Jack beamed down at me and left his station at the window. I got out of the car and waved up at Stephanie‚ but her smile wasn’t as bright. I could hear the scrape of a chair being dragged and I knew Jack was pulling it to the front door to give him height so he could remove the safety chain. The door flung open and he flew at me‚ head down‚ arms pumping‚ bare feet against the cold paving‚ I swept him up in my arms and peppered him with kisses.

      Over his shoulder‚ Stephanie was leaning against the door frame. In the photo that she had sent me of them both in the makeshift camp‚ her dark hair was curled‚ and she was wearing a turquoise dress. Her hair was now tied back‚ the dress replaced with jeans and a faded Stone Roses T-shirt.

      ‘How much trouble am I in?’ I whispered to Jack‚ my eyes trained on Stephanie.

      ‘Mummy went to the hairdressers today and her hair was curly-wurly.’

      ‘Wow‚ that much‚ huh?’

      I carried him inside and kissed Stephanie‚ she turned her head away and my lips grazed her cheek.

      ‘It’s past his bedtime‚’ she said.

      ‘Do you mind if I...?’ I asked‚ and she nodded.

      *

      I had just finished reading Dear Zoo under the lamp light in Jack’s camp. He was too in and out of sleep throughout to enjoy it‚ and I cursed myself for making him wait so long for me. I lifted the duvet up to his chest and held him from behind‚ waiting for his breathing to settle.

      ‘Imy?’ he whispered.

      ‘Jack‚’ I replied‚ pleased in a way that he was still awake.

      ‘You know Sammy Murphy from Year two‚ he’s in Mrs Stevens’ class?’

      ‘Sure‚ what about Sammy Murphy?’ I waited for a response. It seemed as though he was weighing up how to say what was on his mind.

      ‘His dad never plays with him.’

      ‘Oh‚ I see.’ My heart fell‚ I could already feel what was coming next. Jack never ever talked about his own father‚ but on occasion he would use a proxy to discuss how he was feeling.

      ‘He’s always late home and then one day he didn’t come home at all.’

      I held him a little tighter‚ my face touched the back of his head‚ and smelt the wave of innocence coming off him. I struggled for a response. He fidgeted a bit and then shifted his body around so he was facing me‚ our noses nearly touching.

      ‘Do you think that Sammy Murphy’s dad doesn’t love him?’

      ‘I don’t know‚ Jack‚’ I answered truthfully. ‘But you know I love you‚ right? To infinity and beyond‚ and I’ll always be here for you.’

      That was the whole truth. I’d fallen in love hard with Stephanie‚ but I loved Jack with a ferocity that frightened me.

      ‘I love you too‚’ he said and then scrunched his nose. ‘You smell of Indian food.’

      ‘Yeah‚ I‚ um... I may have had a kebab or two.’

      ‘Is that why you were late?’

      ‘Yes. I’m sorry.’

      ‘Don’t be late again.’

      I watched him sleep for a moment and left him with a kiss on his cheek before crawling out of the camp. The kid had tried not to show it‚ but he was disappointed in me for messing up his plans and it damn near broke my heart. I didn’t want to be that person. He’d been through enough heartache with his father.

      It was time to buck up my ideas. I’d been happy enough to be smothered by Khala‚ picking up freshly cooked meals that would last me the week‚ having my clothes washed and pressed‚ whilst living it up in that crummy flat that a student would have been ashamed of‚ blowing my not-that-great income on getting wasted with Shaz. And now I had to play the arranged marriage game‚ keep Rukhsana sweet‚ keep Khala sweet‚ keep dodging the consequences of telling them the truth. Making my life more complicated than necessary.

      When really‚ all I needed was right here.

      *

      Stephanie was watching a reality TV show‚ sat on one end of the sofa‚ perched forward with both feet planted on the floor as if she had just sat down and not yet got comfortable. I knew that she would’ve been at the bottom of the stairs listening in on my conversation with Jack. Checking to see how I handled him. I positioned the foot stool in front of her and lifted her legs on to it. I stretched out on the sofa and placed my head on her lap. I looked up at her. She was beautiful at any angle.

      ‘Let me guess‚’ she said. ‘Your Khala?’

      I smiled tightly. She ran her hand through my hair and waited for me to explain. I did‚ the lie coming easy to me. ‘Her arthritis was bad today. Actually it’s been like that for a while now. So I offered to do the weekly shop for her. I did text you.’

      ‘No‚’ she said‚ confidently‚ as though she’d checked her phone a thousand times. ‘You didn’t.’

      I slipped out my phone and scrolled to the text message that I had prepared earlier whilst I was at the Rishta. I frowned at it.

      ‘What is it?’ she asked of my troubled expression. I showed her the message. ‘You didn’t press send.’

      I exhaled as I pressed my forehead and I laid it on‚ lie after lie. ‘I’m so sorry‚ Steph‚ I was off my feet. After the grocery shop‚ she had me disassemble and take some old furniture up to the loft. Then she made me dinner afterwards and I couldn’t not stay. Seriously Steph‚ I thought I texted you.’

      We sat in silence for a moment‚ her eyes fixed on the television.

      ‘Imy‚’ she said.

      ‘Hmm‚’ I said‚ searching for holes in my lie.

      ‘You have to tell her.’

      ‘I know‚’ I said. ‘I will.’

      She stood up abruptly and my head slipped off her lap and bounced harmlessly on the seat. I sat up as Stephanie stood over me and I waited for her to let loose.

      ‘Imy‚ believe me‚ I don’t want to be the kind of girlfriend that questions your every action. I refuse to be one of those women. I fully understand that you have to think about your Khala‚ I know she’s like a mother to you. And‚ trust me‚ I know about your culture. But you can’t hide this‚ us‚ from her any longer. She doesn’t deserve that‚ Imy. We don’t deserve it. We’re not your dirty little secret!’

      I opened my mouth‚ she lifted a finger before I could counter.

      ‘I need to know where this is going. You can’t just pick and choose to play the big family man whenever it suits you. It’s not fair on Jack.’

      ‘That’s not fair‚ Steph. You know how much I love –’

      ‘I know‚’ she said‚ her voice loud and abrupt. Her eyes travelled up to the ceiling‚ beyond which Jack slept. She waited for the inevitable.

      ‘Mummy.’ Jack’s muffled voice came back at her through the baby monitor that she still insisted on using.

      ‘When

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